About Me…

Hi there everyone :)
My name is Sarah Gladman and I love to Create.
I am a Visual Arts teacher who is currently a SAHM of four kidlets. I love to scrapbook and I love to teach - so "Leonardo's Apprentice" was born to help others out there who are unable to get to classes learn about some of the Tips and Techniques used in scrapping.
Feel free to browse my Blog - I hope you are inspired :)

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The Cuttlebug is another Die Cutting system like the original Sizzix. It is not electronic and does not need cartridges to work.

It DOES need cutting dies and embossing folders – in fact the embossing folders from the Cuttlebug are fantastic and second only to the Spellbinder Dies in variety.

The Cuttlebug is a havey weight machine which sits on top of your work surface and has a rolling system to push through the Dies. For example, you place the Die on top of the Cutting Mat, then your paper on top, then another clear protector Mat and roll the lot through the Cuttlebug. Voila! Your Die cuts come out the other end.

Why the Cuttlebug over the Sizzix?

They are both the same in essence, but I would choose the Cuttlebug over the Sizzix due to it’s accuracy. The rolling system with the Dies sandwiched in between two plates ensures that the Dies do not move during the pressing, which often can happen with the Sizzix due to it’s “Pressing Down” motion.

Use your Cuttlebug Embossing folders as beautiful hand made embellishments on your LO’s or cards – they are particularly lovely when inked or sanded or used on top of printed paper rather than plain cardstock. Although the Core Dinations cardstock looks wonderful sanded as it has a different colour to show through when sanded back.

Below are a few examples of how to use your Cuttlebug embossed pieces in your standard LO’s – I’ll post more up as I do them – some are being published so I have to wait a while with those, I’m sorry!

Just click on the thumbnails in order to get a larger view.

Current embossing folders that I have tried and LOVE are: (sorry I can’t remember their official name atm)

1. Fancy Swirl

2. The Dots one.

3. The Shell Collage.

4. The Number Collage.

5. Birds on a Vine

6. Bird in the Grass

7. Fancy Script.

They retail for about $10 each – I would get together with some friends and pool the resources in order to get the whole collection without breaking the bank. That way you can share them around or have a crop night and roll out a whole heap of them!

I urchased a cuttlebug and I am having a problem working it. is it hard to roll the stuff through, I got through and had to reverse to get out, also some I can not get through at all. Is there a good site for good directions. The manual they supply is lousy. Thank you

I received the Cuttlebug as a Christmas gift and was so excited BUT how does the thing work? I have gone nuts the past couple of days trying to figure it out. I have done all kinds of searches and there is nothing out there, the instruction book should be burned. I have four die which open up. WHY? I have a small square with metal on one side and a spong-like material on the other side. WHY? I don’t even see it mentioned in the instruction book. Do I bend the die in half, and why? I followed the stupid instructions, plate A, plate B, die, paper, plate B and and ran it through. Nothing, there is a space between the top of the plates and the rooler in the machine. Who wrote this book anyway?

Two of my friends had difficulty with their Cuttlebugs as well. I hope I can be of help to you too. First place the spacer (A) on left side of Cuttlebug if you are righthanded, then one (B) plate on top of it. Place paper inside embossing folder and put on top of (B) plate. Put second (B) plate on top of that, and push everything gently to insert into Cuttlebug machine and turn handle. Keep turning until everything comes out on other side of machine. Remove top plate, then open embossing folder and remove paper inside. It should be a pleasant surprise! (Oh, you may need to help push everything into the machine the first few times. Sometimes it needs a little help.) Good luck!

I wish we had crop nights in England! I love my bug, and Andrea if you need help – I have a blog dedicated to the Cuttlebug and using it. The link is http://ikkiscuttlebugcupboard.blogspot.com/
I love to have you visit. ikki

Somebody essentially help to make severely articles I would state. That is the first time I frequented your web page and thus far? I surprised with the analysis you made to make this particular put up extraordinary. Magnificent task!

I am a recent purchaser of the cuttlebug and was disappointed when the dies did not cut despite putting through 3-4 times, one end cut but not the other. I bought a C plate but it still did not work with this.

Hi Sarah,
I am new to card making. I have a Cuttlebug. I have purchased some dies and I love the the embossing folders. I bought dies that are called postage stamp dies and I don’t know what to do with them in making a design.

Its like you read my mind! You seem to know so much about this, like you wrote the book in it or something.
I think that you could do with some pics to drive the message home a bit,
but instead of that, this is great blog. An excellent read.
I’ll definitely be back.

I love my cuttlebug and have about 30 embossing envelopes. Some are provocraft ,, some sissix, and some darsey or something like that. I usually only buy them on sale and have been collecting them for years. They really class up a card and add interest.